Characterization of thin film semiconductors by scanning probe microscopy and tunneling spectroscopy

We have used scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, tunneling spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy and electrochemistry to study the electrosynthesis of II-VI compound semiconductors with special emphasis on ZnS, CdS, and HgS. This dissertation will focus mainly on the electrochemical and scanning probe (STM and AFM) applications to these compounds, in addition to novel materials such as CoSb. We hope to understand the structural, as well optical properties of these materials. Finally, we hope to develop a recipe for the electrosynthesis of high quality semiconductor films.; In Chapter 2, we report an electrochemical, scanning probe microscopic and Raman spectroscopic investigation of thin US films grown by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (EC-ALE) aimed at understanding the role played by the order of deposition on film quality.; In Chapter 3, we report a study of electrosynthesized CdS-HgS heterojunctions using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and electrochemistry. US thin films were grown by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy onto Au(111) substrates and were terminated with a single HgS monolayer.; In Chapter 4, the structure and chemical composition of electrosynthesized ZnS thin films on Au(111) substrates grown by alternating underpotential deposition and oxidative adsorption cycles of S and Zn from solution precursors was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).; In Chapter 5, conditions for the growth of. stable mercury sulfide (HgS) monolayers on Au(111) surfaces using electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy have been investigated. HgS thin films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).; Chapter 6: This chapter describes the use of resonance Raman spectroscopy to characterize thin films of the II-VI compound semiconductors electrosynthesized on metal surfaces. We describe how resonance Raman experiments can provide information; about both the electronic band structure of a material as well as time dependent phenomena such as charge carrier trapping.; In Chapter 7, the use of electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy for the electrosynthesis of high quality thin films of thermoelectric materials is studied. Specifically, the use of sequential underpotential deposition cycles of Sb and Co for the production of CoSb phases on Au substrates is investigated.